Updated: May 2024
What better vacation could there be than Disney for a 4 year old? Endless rides perfectly tailored to a preschooler. All of their favorite Disney characters scattered throughout the park. Pools to play in. Popcorn and ice cream around every corner. Heaven, right?
Yes, Disney is pretty much a dream come true for 4 year olds. But there are still a few things you’ll want to know and plan for ahead of time.
If you’re looking for specific Disney rides and attractions that would be best for your preschooler, check out these other posts:
Top 12 Tips for Surviving Disney with a 4 Year Old
- Use a Stroller
- Watch YouTube Videos
- Watch Disney Movies
- Plan to Take Breaks
- Utilize Rider Swap
- Let Go of Your Expectations
- Have a “3 Things” List
- BYO
- Buy a Popcorn Bucket
- Just Because They CAN Ride, Doesn’t Mean They SHOULD
- Play Games in Line
- Show Up To the Park Prepared
Tip #1: Use a Stroller
Even if your preschooler is usually running circles around you, trust me. You want a stroller.
Little legs get tired. Little bodies get hot. Little brains sometimes need a retreat when they’re overstimulated. This can all be remedied with a stroller.
If you want to bring your own, great. If you don’t feel like dealing with it on the plane or don’t have room in the car, it’s incredibly easy to rent one.
If you can avoid it, though, don’t rent the strollers that Disney has available at the park entrances. They’re a bit clumsy and a pain to push around. They are also hard plastic and look anything but comfortable for the kids to sit in. Plus, there’s very little storage space for items like snacks, waters, extra layers, and souvenirs.
The Disney strollers are $15 per day. And you do only pay that price once, even if you park hop. Just bring along your receipt from earlier in the day, and you’ll be able to get a stroller at the second park no problem.
A better option, though, is to rent a stroller from an outside company like Kingdom Strollers. These guys make it so easy, and they have really thought of everything.
They offer single strollers, double strollers, and even strollers for kids with special needs. Their strollers are high quality and are from reputable companies like Baby Jogger and BOB strollers.
Kingdom Strollers delivers your stroller straight to your hotel, and picks it up from your hotel at the end of your trip. You can also pick up your stroller and drop it off right at the airport! So you don't have to go a single minute of your trip without a stroller for your four year old.
Every interaction I’ve had with them has been professional, friendly, and punctual. You don’t need to worry about them being late and missing your Lightning Lane… or your flight.
Like a lot of things, the “per day” price gets cheaper the longer you rent. And you can find their current pricing on their website.
On our most recent trip, I rented one of the “upgraded” options. We had the stroller for 7 days total. I added a bag hook (for the popcorn bucket, haha!) as well as the insurance option. The total averaged out to the exact same price as the Disney strollers.
Every stroller comes with a drink holder, an insulated lunch bag, and a rain cover. They’re comfortable for the kids, they recline for naps, and they’re easy to maneuver through the parks.
I rented the Baby Jogger Mini GT Single. After that week, I bought one for myself! It’s so lightweight. The easiest to collapse from any stroller I’ve ever used. Provides proper sun coverage, and overall was just the perfect stroller to push around the parks.
Okay, I hope I’ve made my point here! If you’re going to Disney with a 4 year old, use a stroller!
Tip #2: Watch YouTube Videos
Disney is stimulating enough for preschoolers. A new place to sleep, busy parks, new experiences, new foods… The more you can do ahead of time to help their little brains prepare and process these new experiences, the better.
How do I do this? With talking to them, of course. But also with YouTube videos!
You can find Youtube videos of every single ride in Disney World. And you can probably find videos, or at least photos, of your hotel.
If you’ve been on the rides before, you can help talk them through what’s happening. Tell them what they’ll be sitting in. Point out the safety bar. Talk about the lines you’ll be standing in.
For the hotel, show them what type of bed they’ll sleep in. Where they’ll eat breakfast. What the pool looks like. Where they’ll take a bath.
The more familiarity they have when you get there, the happier your 4 year old will be… and the happier the whole family will be!
Plus, it’s a really fun way to get excited for your trip together 🙂
Tip #3: Watch Disney Movies
Will your preschooler love Disney even if they’ve never seen a single Disney movie? Of course! But they’ll be able to relate to some of the attractions more if they’ve seen some movies and know some of the characters. It really helps the magic of Disney to come alive.
Some movies that have corresponding attractions in Disney for a 4 year old include:
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Aladdin
- Frozen
- The Little Mermaid
- Finding Nemo
- Toy Story
- Ratatouille
- Peter Pan
- Doc McStuffens and Vampirina
- Anything Minnie and Mickey!
And, of course, there are characters from all different Disney movies scattered throughout the parks!
Tip #4: Plan to Take Breaks
As fun as Disney World is for your 4 year old, they’re going to need breaks. As much as you want them to experience every ride and attraction and get the most of their time in Disney, they’re going to need some chill time.
If you don’t honor this need for rest in your preschooler, you’ll know it! Kids are really good at telling you “enough is enough”. I’m here to help you avoid that inevitable meltdown.
Take an Afternoon Hotel Break
Sometimes, an afternoon spent playing quietly in your hotel room is just what your little one will need to get them through to the evening fireworks show. Meanwhile, you can have a drink and relax on the balcony and give yourself some much needed chill time.
Let Sleep Happen
Allow your preschooler to take naps. Even if they normally don’t. Even if it’s not at the usual time. Their schedule is so out of whack anyway. Let them sleep when their little bodies are telling them to, and everyone will be happier.
Allow them to sleep in. Even if it means missing rope drop one day. Even if it means sacrificing one more ride on Dumbo. A sleep-in with a happy preschooler is better than a Dumbo ride with a 4 year old on the verge of a tantrum.
Take Advantage of Your Hotel Pool.
You paid for that hotel with the amazing pool. Use it! As a child, some of my best Disney memories were made in the hotel pool. Sometimes a cool off and some space to just let kids be kids is what everyone needs to reenter the parks refreshed and ready to go.
Allow For Some TV Time.
It can be hard to get your little one to sit still and rest, even when you know they need it. Enter the trusty television. Feed them some lunch, set them up comfy in bed, and switch on Disney Junior. Sometimes, that’s the little bit of visual stimulation they need to allow their bodies some physical rest. Who knows, maybe they’ll even doze off for a bit!
Tip #5: Utilize Rider Swap
Part of surviving Disney with a 4 year old is allowing yourself to go on the “big kid” rides, too! How do you do this seamlessly with a preschooler? By using rider swap!
With rider swap, the entire family waits in line together. Usually, only until the indoor portion of the line begins. If you’re using a Lightning Lane, the child won’t ever need to wait in the line.
Either way, the cast member at that ride’s podium will help you out. They will ask which family member will be staying with your preschooler. If that’s you, you will then select one other family member that will ride with you after you swap. That person gets to go on the ride twice!
The cast member will scan your magic bands, which essentially gives you a Lightning Lane for the “second time” riders.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how this looks:
Ride #1: You (or another family member) stay with your preschooler. Get some popcorn or a popsicle. Do a quick little kid ride. Go to the bathroom... You get the picture. The rest of your party waits in the remainder of the line and goes on the attraction.
Ride #2: You and one other family member that had their magic band scanned go to the Lightning Lane entrance. Your preschooler stays with whoever is left in your party. The 2 riders wait in the shortened version of the line and go on the attraction.
A few quick tips for rider swap…
- Explain it to your child as “taking turns” between kid rides and adult rides. They usually understand. Especially if there’s popcorn involved while you wait 🙂
- Think about who your child will feel comfortable waiting with for both rides. If that’s only you and your partner, you shouldn’t select your partner to go with you for the second ride!
- You do not need to utilize Ride #2 right away! That magic band scan will allow you and the two other “second time riders” access to the Lightning Lane for the rest of that day. If you have lunch reservations shortly after Ride #1, no problem! Just return for Ride #2 sometime later that day. Some of the computers may say you're "late" for your Lightning Lane, but cast members will override the computer and let you in.
Tip #6: Let Go of Your Expectations
I know it’s hard not to have expectations for your trip to Disney with a 4 year old. You’ve spent a lot of time planning this trip. You’ve spent a lot of money investing in this trip. You’ve used a lot of energy organizing and packing for this trip.
You are so excited for your preschooler to finally meet Pooh Bear, his absolute favorite character from his absolute favorite movie! But when the moment finally comes, he is terrified. Or he couldn’t care less.
When you were little, your favorite ride was the carousel. But when you get there, your little princess only wants to go on the teacups… again… and again.
Let it go. Let your preschooler experience Disney in her own way, and be okay with that.
You can gently guide your little one to attractions you think they’ll like. But go into it with zero expectations of how they’ll actually react.
When my daughter was a toddler, I thought she would absolutely love Kilimanjaro Safaris in Animal Kingdom. I mean, you get to see giraffes and elephants up close! But… she spent the entire time just looking at the pictures in the truck that help you identify the animals on safari. She paid zero attention to the live animals.
If we could convince her to look out of the truck at one of the real animals, it was fleeting. She would soon return to the pictures above her head. But did she enjoy the ride? Absolutely. Just not in the way that I had expected.
Tip #7: Have a “3 Things” List
Could you do every attraction in Disney within a week? Probably. But would you come out of it with your sanity intact? Probably not.
Especially when you want to accommodate nap times, pool breaks, and character meet and greets… it’s just not possible.
In my family, before every Disney trip, everyone selects their “3 Things”. Creatively named, I know. Those 3 Things are your top priorities for the trip. If you do those 3 Things, you will be satisfied. Everything else is bonus.
Having a “3 Things” list helps to eliminate feelings at the end of the trip of, “But I didn’t get to XYZ.” Without the list, we tend to focus on what we didn’t get to do, rather than everything we did get to do.
Having a “3 Things” list also helps to eliminate some of the pressure to see it all and do it all. It allows you to slow down and actually enjoy being in Disney with your 4 year old.
Is there an impromptu parade passing? Stop and enjoy it! Did you come across a street show? Clap and laugh along!
You don’t always need to be in a hurry to get somewhere. You’re already in Disney… you’re there.
Tip #8: BYO
Not only does self-catering some meals save you money, but in my experience I just feel better and more energized throughout the day with some of my usual foods fueling me. You’ll want your preschooler feeling their best as they navigate all these new experiences, too.
Even if you don’t have a kitchen at your accommodation, you can still easily have your own breakfast and lunch foods.
For breakfast, having your 4 year old eat their normal foods is one less new thing they’ll have to deal with on your trip. Plus, they can be eating while you’re getting ready, and everyone can prepare for the day at their own pace.
And you know they’re at least starting the day off right with some healthy options. Even if the rest of their calories for the day are consumed in popcorn form.
For lunch, you can easily have some sandwiches, granola bars, carrots, hummus, fruit, and a few snacks available. Pack it with you to the parks. After all, you have all that storage available in the stroller!
When you’re packing for your trip, don’t forget to pack some sandwich baggies or containers to carry these packed lunches, though! Along with some knives for spreading, cutting, etc. We often even travel with our own knife and cutting board for chopping veggies.
Or plan to return to the hotel for lunch. Have a play in the pool, and fuel up for an afternoon in the parks. You don’t need to sit down at a restaurant when the kids are already tired and cranky, and try to get them to “behave”. And you don’t need to scoff down a veggie burger sitting at a busy picnic table. That’s hardly a break.
If you do have a kitchen available at your hotel, dinner is also another great option! And “dinner” can mean any time of day. Sometimes in Disney, we have our “dinner” in the middle of the day while relaxing at the hotel. We bring more lunch-like foods with us to the parks in the evening, or just plan to snack.
If you’re looking for some quick and easy (and still healthy) meal ideas, check out the posts Vegan Travel Food: Pro Tips and Meals You Can Make Anywhere or Vegan AND Gluten Free in Disney World? Tips and Recommendations
But what if you have no way to get to a grocery store?
No worries, we rarely do. I wouldn’t rely on the little grocery markets at the Disney hotels, though. Their selections are pretty sparse, and only meant to supplement. And like everything in Disney, their prices are pretty outrageous.
There are a few grocery delivery options in Orlando, but we have always gone with Garden Grocer. You plan your meals and make your selections before your trip with their online ordering. On your arrival day, they will deliver your groceries straight to your hotel.
Their prices are probably more than you would pay at your local grocery store. But it still saves a ton of money compared to Disney’s market prices. And especially compared to eating out.
A note on water…
Stop paying $3 for a water bottle, and bring reusable water bottles. Yes, the water at Disney’s drinking fountains is pretty gross. But you can find some water bottle refill stations throughout the parks.
If there isn’t a refill station near, simply approach any takeout window and ask for some water. No need to make a purchase. In old times, they would fill your water bottle for you. These days, they’ll hand you a paper cup of ice water to fill your bottle yourself.
Side note: Our favorite kids water bottle that doesn't leak is this Hydroflask one.
Do we BYO for every meal? No! We love a good character breakfast or dinner at the Sci-Fi Theater. But it’s nice to be able to pick and choose when you’re eating out, when you’re eating junk, and when you’re having a home cooked meal.
Tip #9: Buy a Popcorn Bucket
This seems like an oddly specific tip, I know. But seriously. Spend the $20 on the first day of your trip, and after that refills are only $2.
From that point on, a quick snack is cheap. It’s easy. It’s (relatively) healthy. And it’s (relatively) mess free. You don’t need to go cart to cart deciding what you want. And the whole family can share the bucket.
It seems like a special treat to your 4 year old, since it isn’t the carrots and hummus that you have packed in the lunch bag. But it isn’t a popsicle that’s going to drip down her arm and stain her new princess dress.
Be sure to follow it up with some water, of course. Dehydration in Disney can easily happen!
Tip #10: Just Because They CAN Ride, Doesn’t Mean They SHOULD
Do a little bit of research ahead of time, and know what you’re getting yourself into with some of these attractions. Like I talked about in the post about the best rides in Magic Kingdom for toddlers, I still can’t believe that Astro Orbiter doesn’t have a height requirement! It’s fast!
Even if your preschooler meets the height requirement for a ride, that doesn’t mean they’re ready for it. Or that they’ll enjoy it. It just means they’ll come off the ride safely.
You know your 4 year old best. If you aren’t sure how they’ll handle “coaster-like” rides, test the waters a little. Go on The Barnstormer before jumping on Slinky Dog Dash.
Thrill levels aside, you’ll also want to keep the “scary” factor in mind. If your preschooler isn’t a fan of dark spaces and intentionally scary music, you’ll want to reconsider taking them on The Haunted Mansion.
To get a good idea of what some of these rides are actually like, check out these posts:
- Magic Kingdom for Toddlers and Preschoolers
- Hollywood Studios for Toddlers and Preschoolers
- Epcot for Kids and Preschoolers
Tip #11: Play Games in Line
Don’t expect your 4 year old to just wait patiently in lines all day long. It’s even hard for me to wait patiently sometimes. Have some games and entertainment ready, and everyone will be happier.
Here are some ideas to get you started…
- I Spy
- Rock, Paper, Scissors
- Simon Says
- 20 Questions
- Sings songs
- Have a small toy or “buddy” with them in line - For a princess loving 4 year old, check out these!
- Bring a small notepad and a crayon - Or a reusable writing pad like this cute bumble bee one! It even has a strap for attaching to backpacks and strollers!
- Have a snack
Tip #12: Show Up To The Park Prepared
As the parent of a 4 year old, I’m sure you’re well versed in the multitude of items that need to be attached to your hip to survive the day. Luckily, if you use a stroller, you have a way to carry all of these essentials other than around your shoulder!
Here’s a list to get you started of what you’ll want with you in the parks…
- A change of clothes
- Layers of clothes
- Food
- Water Bottle
- Rain Gear (we love these disposable ponchos)
- Sunscreen
- Optional:
- A stroller fan to keep your little one cool
- Pacifier if your little one needs it to sleep and you’re planning on stroller naps at the parks
- Entertainment for the stroller
- Stuffed animals, a book, or even buy a bubble wand or spinner bought in the park!
- Stuffed animals, a book, or even buy a bubble wand or spinner bought in the park!
Are you feeling prepared? Have I missed anything? What have been your genius survival tips for Disney with a 4 year old? Let me know in the comments below 🙂
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